Karl Heinz Gustav Schauenburg
Obituary:
photo source
--Guy
Obituary:
Born 1929
Iron Cross holder of outstanding musical gifts who became a Grenadier of the highest quality
Karl Heinz Gustav Schauenburg was almost certainly the most surprising musician ever to have served in the Grenadier band – in Hanoverian times, yes perhaps, but in the twentieth century, hardly.
Born in Holland to German parents he had to return to his native country on the outbreak of war. He was dragooned into the Hitler Youth, as all young men were, and taught trumpet and cello. Late in the war he was awarded the Iron Cross.
He came to England after the war and was earning his living playing in dance bands around London when a friend moonlighting from the Grenadier band thought it would be a lark to persuade himto seek an interview with the Director of Music, Rodney Bashford, who had spent several wartime years as an unwilling guest of the Fuhrer. After the initial shock, however, the wise Director could find no argument against his undoubtedmusical qualities and persuaded the War Office to take him.
Any further objections there might have been quickly dissolved under the force of Schauenburg’s talent, his intense loyalty to his friends, and his wickedly selfdeprecating sense of humour. He would wear the Iron Cross under his apron when mounting guard and flash it mischievously at the inspecting officer; he would try to go to bed if someone mentioned ‘fatigue’; he did not even become a British citizen until 2005, objecting that the shock would kill his father, and had to go in a alien passport queue when on tour. Being a trumpeter, he described his Regimental Adjutant, Sir Hew Hamilton- Dalrymple, as Sir Hew Humphrey Lyttelton and got away with it.
From 1962 to 1984 this outstanding musician gave all to his adopted Regiment. It was Einmal ein Grenadier, immer ein Grenadier!
obit source Grenadier Guards Book of Remembrance
Iron Cross holder of outstanding musical gifts who became a Grenadier of the highest quality
Karl Heinz Gustav Schauenburg was almost certainly the most surprising musician ever to have served in the Grenadier band – in Hanoverian times, yes perhaps, but in the twentieth century, hardly.
Born in Holland to German parents he had to return to his native country on the outbreak of war. He was dragooned into the Hitler Youth, as all young men were, and taught trumpet and cello. Late in the war he was awarded the Iron Cross.
He came to England after the war and was earning his living playing in dance bands around London when a friend moonlighting from the Grenadier band thought it would be a lark to persuade himto seek an interview with the Director of Music, Rodney Bashford, who had spent several wartime years as an unwilling guest of the Fuhrer. After the initial shock, however, the wise Director could find no argument against his undoubtedmusical qualities and persuaded the War Office to take him.
Any further objections there might have been quickly dissolved under the force of Schauenburg’s talent, his intense loyalty to his friends, and his wickedly selfdeprecating sense of humour. He would wear the Iron Cross under his apron when mounting guard and flash it mischievously at the inspecting officer; he would try to go to bed if someone mentioned ‘fatigue’; he did not even become a British citizen until 2005, objecting that the shock would kill his father, and had to go in a alien passport queue when on tour. Being a trumpeter, he described his Regimental Adjutant, Sir Hew Hamilton- Dalrymple, as Sir Hew Humphrey Lyttelton and got away with it.
From 1962 to 1984 this outstanding musician gave all to his adopted Regiment. It was Einmal ein Grenadier, immer ein Grenadier!
obit source Grenadier Guards Book of Remembrance
--Guy
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